Isekai Shokudou – 08

The relationship between Rokie and Arte was cute in how it started budding with their trip to Nekoya. What started as Rokie wanting to pay off his debt to Arte for saving his life ended up being a serene date to the mysterious cafe. It also ended on a good note with the two promising to meet up ever Satur to eat together. The show captures the slow beginning of a relationship very well in having the couple develop slowly as they hang out together and share wonderful food. It never felt like the couple was moving too fast, but that’s what makes it refreshing to see the segment end on the idea that they’ll have many Nekoya dates planned for the future.

The episode’s main dish is the Hamburg Steak, something that is familiar yet unique to me. The Americas have Salisbury Steak, which is the same concept with ground beef and gravy among other side dishes, but with some differences here and there. For the most part, the mix of spices, egg, milk, breadcrumbs combine to zazz up the Hamburg Steak while a gravy reduction helps boost the savoryness of the patty. Personally, I got extremely hungry when Rokie broke the egg yolk on the Hamburg. It was a little more than four years since I’ve first tried it, but a sunny-side up egg and a hamburger patty were meant for each other. I’m disappointed I haven’t discovered it sooner, but I’m glad I found it sooner than later.

Assorted Cookies
This was Aletta’s time to shine! Right off the heels of contending with her new co-worker Kuro, she found a part-time job as the housekeeper for Sarah Gold, the fan of Nekoya’s Mince Meat Cutlet. Along the way she meets Sarah’s sister, Shia, who shows up to the house every so often to check up on her older sister. Tenshu was very supportive to Aletta, and got her some expensive cookies as a gift for being able to find a decent job on the side. Not only has Aletta learned how rewarding it is to get a decent job or payday, but she also learned about what it means to make delicious cookies. I’m surprised that it took this long to mention that there’s a bakery on top of the restaurant. I wonder how easy it is to access granted that there’s only a door in and out of Nekoya, and walking out the door means going back to their world. I’d assume it’s part of the human world, but why Aletta and Shia would have a difficult time getting up there if it exists in the real world too is a mystery. How does Tenshu get inside the bakery? I’m probably overthinking it, but it threw me off when Aletta was hesitant to answer Shia about where she got the cookies from. They were expensive cookies she got as a gift though, so I’d understand not wanting to push Shia to spend a fortune on cookies.

Shia was a great addition to the cast with her explanation on how the Gold family’s legacy lends itself to the role many human adventurers play in the series’ universe. It helped to see how the family history of those in the Gold family struck with a thirst for adventure at their own expenses gave Sarah a deeper purpose within the show as an adventurer as well as gave Shia a reason for concern. When Sarah’s life is on the line regularly, it would be reasonable for Shia to constantly check in on her to assure her safety out of concern for the family’s legacy catching up with Sarah sooner than she’d think. Luckily, the anxiety from the situation is tempered with some fresh cookies!

Concluding Thoughts:
The first segment was on-par with many of the past segments with humans and species from far-off lands discovering Nekoya and the delicious food they offer. What I liked especially was the show’s approach towards their relationship where you can tell that there are budding feelings from Rokie and Arte, and they’re both on-board with learning more about each other, but opt to continue developing their bond through further Nekoya dates. The second half was also nice with more of Aletta’s perspective as she becomes more adjusted to her new life, and gains another part-time job for extra resilience. I was also enthused about seeing the show give more of a spotlight to Sarah through Shia’s inclusion and motives. While I would’ve loved to see the show go more in-depth with what kinds of cookies were made, their flavor, and their ingredients, it is understandable since they were made outside of Nekoya.

It was an honor to be able to cover Isekai Shokudou for a couple weeks. I was following the show closely, and really admired it as a cozy, warm anime with delicious looking food and pleasant short stories relating to those who passed through the restaurant’s door. I’m glad to have helped Zaiden out and cover the show while he was out and about. At the same time, I hope I did a good job at covering the two episodes using the post format he used on the previous episodes. It was a fun show to cover for the time being, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the remaining episodes come out. As for this week’s culinary journey, below the preview is a segment Zaiden sent over on the Katsu Curry from Coco Ichibanya.

Preview

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Zaiden’s Bizarre Adventure:
Coco Ichibanya’s Katsu Curry

At Cherrie’s recommendation, having given me a list of wonderful places to eat in Tokyo, I decided to try out Coco Ichibanya. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a chain of curry houses reminiscent of fast food.

The branch I visited was in Ueno, and located around Yushima station. A moment’s deliberation, and I went for the beef katsu with a helping of vegetables. Also accompanied by an extra helping of rice, alongside spice levels tuned up to 8.

I can’t remember exactly what I was expecting, but I have to admit I was blown away. Where do I even start with the curry itself? All kinds of balance between savoury and sweet, rich and spicy. A harmonious combination of tastes that elevated me to a higher realm. And how could katsu be so crispy? Mind you, this even extended to the parts that were submerged in curry. They maintained a form and crunchiness that seemed to defy science. As for the heat, it was just outside my comfort zone. In other words, perfect. If you are eating something within your comfort zone, it may as well not be spicy.

Sadly, my words can do no justice in bringing the experience to summation. But that plate of curry sure was something!

Final Rating: 8.7/10 – I suspect there are probably better curry houses in Tokyo. However, I was more than impressed by my experience at Coco Ichibanya, and highly recommend it to anyone else who might visit Japan!

I suggested this series to Guardian Enzo but he didn’t like it.We all have different tastes and like or dislike what we do. Luckily there is much variety in anime so you can always find something you like each season.

Shame that they didn’t do a Food Wars reference in the first half since Rokie is voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka who is, of course, Soma Yukihira from the other series. It would have been super hilarious to watch an over-the-top foodgasm.

The LNs mention the bakery owner is Tenshu’s lifelong friend; they knew each other since childhood. The owner also knows of Nekoya’s magic door, and also supplies Tenshu with various pastries to give/sell to his customers.

I am guessing the 2nd Floor of the elevator leads to the back door of the bakery? Although the placement of the floors abit odd, am assuming the resto is on the 1st floor and we were shown that the storage is on the 3rd floor.

Tenshu’s bedroom is also on one of the upper floors based form the 1st ep after Aletta snuck in for the corn potage)

While it is possible that the elevator is the entrance to the real-world, there are some other possibilities:

1) That door clearly can distinguish where each person comes from and sends them back to their original location. As Tenshuu is from Earth, it would just send him back to Earth.

2) That door disconnects from the otherworld during closed hours and the rest of the week. (Only open in the Otherworld on Satur’s Day, after all.)

3) The elevator is the entrance to Earth.

4) It seems a fair bet that the Door does not connect to Earth during Satur’s Day business hours, since we have yet to see an Earth customer in the show. So if the Tenshuu needs supplies, he gets them before or after business hours on Satur’s Day.

The other entrance is probably the elevator that is also used to get the ingredients from storage. Most restaurants I’ve seen have an entrance for guests, but also a delivery entrance that enters either the kitchen or a storage area. The “back” entrance may also be used for trash takeout or grease disposal from deep fryers.

The restaurant could be inside an Building with more then 3 roofs. Like there are maid cafe’s in Tokyo that are only accessible trough the Lift. Perhaps here is it the same. Because we do not saw any shots from the Outside of the Restaurant, all we see is the Door, nothing what is outside the Windows.. not even Rain on the Windows, Also the Cook sleep in the same building

Perhaps red Dragon gave him this Door and his “father” for not being lonely… And so the World come to visit

Hamburg steak also has an analogy with Hawaiian plate lunch cuisine – the good old loco moco, complete with the gravy and fried egg. It is one of those combinations where once you try it, you wonder why it’s not more widespread and a cornerstone of comfort food beyond the niches where they do exist within the US.

Coco Ichibanya is the biggest of the curry chains in Japan, has a got a number of stores across East and Southeast Asia, and even a few spots in the US. It’s pretty good, more along the lines of a fast-casual place rather than straight up fast food. It’s not a destination restaurant by any means, but if you’re in Japan for any amount of time longer than just a couple of days, it’s something you should try out, along with things like Japanese McDonald’s, a beefbowl place (Yoshinoya or the like), and perhaps kaitenzushi. Maybe a standing-only noodle place in a train station, just to get the full feel of what it’s like to be in Japan.

I’m surprised that it took this long to mention that there’s a bakery on top of the restaurant. I wonder how easy it is to access granted that there’s only a door in and out of Nekoya, and walking out the door means going back to their world. I’d assume it’s part of the human world, but why Aletta and Shia would have a difficult time getting up there if it exists in the real world too is a mystery. How does Tenshu get inside the bakery? I’m probably overthinking it, but it threw me off when Aletta was hesitant to answer Shia about where she got the cookies from.

Other entrances and exits to the building and or other businesses in the building are likely only accessible through the back. Aletta could get there if she knew how, but Shia could not. And Aletta only uses the “magic room with silver doors” to go to floors that Tenshuu has taken her to before: I really cannot picture her just randomly exploring. She’d be too worried about getting in trouble.

I’m surprised that it took this long to mention that there’s a bakery on top of the restaurant. I wonder how easy it is to access granted that there’s only a door in and out of Nekoya, and walking out the door means going back to their world.

Based on the first episode start, I thought that on Saturday, the restaurant was connected to the other world and open for business to their denizens, while on the other six days it was open for business in our world. Not sure if on Saturday it is inaccessible to our world or not.

I was thinking that this Magic Door are connected to different Worlds, but this Prince and his Sister, think that this Peoples are living in their World, just on different Continents.. What is true? The Door connects different Worlds or just Different Locations of a World?

It’s always been different places on the same world – see Sarah meeting Aletta outside the restaurant in this episode (8), or Tatsugurou finding Heinrich in episode 2, or Alphonse finding another door to enter through on episode 7.

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